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SALT LAKE CITY — Sometimes, loading up your family or friends into a car, grabbing some snack food and a good playlist can make for the perfect activity — winter or summer.
If you’re looking for a change of scenery, Utah has plenty of byways that are open year-round. And a little preparation is all you need to start your wintertime adventure: check ahead for weather conditions and be sure you have snow tires or proper chains.
Zion and Cedar Breaks
Under the blanket of Snow, Zion National Park is a completely different place.
Straight through, the trip takes about two hours. But if you’re stopping to explore the scenery, make a day of it. The winter is a quiet time for the park and wildlife spottings are abundant.
Stops: Hiking at Grotto Trail, Riverside Walk, Lower Emerald Pool Trail, Pa'rus Trail.
Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons
While these canyons shine in the autumn months, when the mist rolls in atop the mountaintops, these canyons are another sight to behold. Pick one and take a quick diversion from home life.
Head up from the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon (from which Mormons quarried granite for the Salt Lake Temple) to Alta. Round trip, the trip takes approximately one hour.
The Big Cottonwood Canyon drive begins at the Great Basin floor of the Rocky Mountains. Following U-152, the drive takes approximately one hour.
Stops: Any of the several ski resorts for food, libations or recreational pursuits.
Arches
Recently chosen as one of America’s best winter drives by Travel & Leisure, the park’s red sandstone structures stand out against the white snowfall.
Stops: Park Avenue Trail, The Windows and Balanced Rock.
Fishlake
Fishlake Scenic Byway is a great place to spot wildlife of the four-legged and winged varieties. The byway runs from from SR-24 to SR-72, taking drives past Fish Lake and Johnson Johnson Valley Reservoir, though it is not maintained in the winter for vehicle travel after the main lodge. It takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.
Stop: Picnic and scenic areas.
Transcontinental Railroad
The Transcontinental Railroad joined the east and the west, meeting in Utah, making it a major infrastructural and economic achievement for Utah.
Starting at the Golden Spike National Historic Site, follow the railroad’s path on the 90-mile Transcontinental Railroad National Backcountry Byway and brush up on your history.
Stops: Golden Spike National Historic Site, interpretive signs, railroad camps.
What other drives do you recommend for winter travel?
